IOL: US televangelist calls for assassination of Venezuelan president

IOL: US televangelist calls for assassination of Venezuelan president: "23/08/2005 - 06:29:46 American televangelist Pat Robertson has called for the assassination of Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez (pictured) on his religious television show, calling him a “terrific danger” to the US.

American televangelist Pat Robertson has called for the assassination of Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez on his religious television show, calling him a “terrific danger” to the US.

Robertson, founder of the Christian Coalition of America and a former presidential candidate, said on his TV show The 700 Club that it was America’s duty to stop Chavez from making Venezuela a “launching pad for communist infiltration and Muslim extremism”.

Chavez has emerged as one of the most outspoken critics of US president George Bush, accusing America of conspiring to topple his government and possibly backing plots to assassinate him. US officials have called the accusations ridiculous.

“You know, I don’t know about this doctrine of assassination, but if he thinks we’re trying to assassinate him, I think that we really ought to go ahead and do it,” Robertson said.

“It’s a whole lot cheaper than starting a war … and I don’t think any oil shipments will stop.”"